Wisdom of the World
by KaziRede
Summary: When 5 is terribly frightened by a nightmare about the cruel past he was involved with, 7 has no choice but to lull him to sleep with a lullaby of sorts. 5x7 fluff.


AN: I tried to go a different route and write a 5x9 fic. For some reason I can see those two together easily even though I found no point of entry to coupling them. Oh well, I like wusses and tough girls together!

By the way, point out the Mother references and you get a cookie.

* * *

5 hated these nights. Those certain nights where you feel awfully alone and scared. Nights where he felt like he wouldn't live to see the morning sun. And the fact that there were air raids every agonizing hour he remained awake, where he heard the low rumbling of the engines that ran the planes, followed by the thunderous noise of the bombs landing on the ground. It was these nights he wished he had never been created, or else, where he wish he were somewhere else completely, somewhere quiet and safe where he wouldn't have to worry about this war.

He momentarily touched his hand to the leather part of his face, recalling earlier events - how he and 2 barely managed to escape from those giant mechanical creatures, how they went through a horrendous surgery of sorts to fix the side of his face that was damaged during an attack, how all of them huddled into a corner of a safe compartment sturdy enough to withstand a bomb (or worse), and now how night fell and how he heard the engines roaring. All he wished for was for a moments peace, the wish repeating in his mind as he curled his arms, bringing his knees to his chest, trying to block out all the thunderous noises he heard outside, all the gunfire and the screams and the terror ...

They wouldn't go away. The noises wouldn't _go away_.

Why was he born into such a world?

This will all stop someday, 1 assured the rest. This will all stop and they'll finally be at peace. He waited for that day. He believed there'll come a day; maybe it would be tomorrow. A day that was filled to the brim, every hour only bringing silence. A day where all he had to worry about was helping 2 in the workshop.

Another explosion jerked him out of that reality he was wishing for, sending him into the brink of tears. No. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, he didn't want this. 5 didn't want it this way. He's rather stay in his thoughts and dreams where everything was peaceful and happy. He finally uncurled his arms and stuck his hands to the sides of his head, blocking his auditory functions from hearing the sounds outside, all too in vain.

Go back to those happy thoughts, 5 forced himself to think, they'll help you get through this. You've survived so much worse - you lost an eye for god sakes! If that wasn't survival then he didn't know what was. Again, his thoughts trailed to a morning where the only sound he'll wake up to was 2 tinkering in his workshop, to 3 and 4 flickering their lights and clicking to one another, to 6 mumbling nonsense to himself, to 7 practicing her agility and combat skills ... a morning where there were no more bombs or air-raids, no more giant machines, no more humans for that matter - he didn't care anymore. All he wanted was a peaceful morning ...

Finally he felt the sensation of fatigue washing over him, covering him like a loose, warm blanket. 5's single remaining optic shuttered close, his hands slowly dropping from his head down to the cold, concrete floor. It seemed the current air-raid had stopped for the time being, and 5 would be granted this one wish of gaining a peaceful rest.

Too bad fate was a cruel mistress.

--

He was running again. 5 was running once again, running away from the giant mechanical beast who gave no effort in catching up with the little stitch-punk. It would be like a man stepping on a roach: The machine would give no second though if he squashed poor 5 under his foot, his real target being the humans to destroy.

Out of desperation, he within a discarded boot just laying on the ground, well out of the way of the machine's reach. He huddled into the nearest tip of the boot, shaking as he heard the noises outside, all the yells and screaming of the human race just outside. He mapped out a plan of escape in his mind to draw away the thought of death lurking around the corner - he would hitch a ride on a human running away from those monsters, and wherever the humans would stop, that's where he'll stop too. He find a place to call shelter and protection from these monsters and remain there for hours on end. In the meantime, all he could do was shiver there and hum to himself a melody, simple as can be ...

He heard and explosion, and not even a second later had he felt the boot being thrown from its original position, jostling the tiny stitch-punk inside. Finally it landed, 5 groaning as he forced himself to get up, despite his body being badly bruised from that trip. He managed to drag his feet outside despite his stupor that surrounded him like a fog.

He had regretted that move. Nearly 2 seconds later, the boot which was keeping him safe was kicked away by small explosion, one that threw 5 at least three feet in the air, landing on the ground hard. He heard hard metal crack, which was soon followed up sharp pain shooting up his right leg with full force. He gave a yelp and saw that his leg was bent out of shape, impossible to move without repair. He was glued to that spot now, and what's worse, 5 found that the machine were approaching him - and fast.

5 tried getting up, but the pain in his leg refused him to do so, and he tumbled on the ground again, holding his leg in pain, breathing harshly between his teeth. He looked with horror at the machines, all staring so ... sinisterly at him. He crawled frantically away, trying to ignore the searing pain, but to no avail, as the machines walked faster than he could crawl. 5 glanced behind him, feeling the earth shake as the monsters stomped their large feet on the ground. 5 turned ont his back, staring in horror at the approaching monster seemingly targeting only him as his robot companions marched on without him. 5 and the machine stared towards one another, trying to define one another, before the monster raised its metallic foot.

5 let out a desperate cry as the foot rapidly approached the ground he was on ..

--

"5! 5, will you shut up, you fool!" 1 yelled, banging his staff on the ground, "You're waking us all with your infernal yelling!!"

5 yelled himself out of his sleep, yet again covering his auditory sensors with his hand. He brought his knees to his chest, whimpering as he rocked back and forth. He didn't notice the presence of his fellow stitch-punks as they approached him, 7 laying arms around 5's quivering form.

"5, what is the meaning of this, you have disturbed us from our slumber!" 1 yelled approaching 5.

"1, he's obviously had a nightmare, will you leave him alone!?" 7 snapped at 1, "He's obviously scared!"

"Whatever it is, we need to calm the poor boy down." 5 heard 2 say, feeling his small, feeble fingers rest on his shoulder "Tell us boy, what did you see in your dream?"

5 could barely form together two words that made sense, all sentences coming out in the form of frightened whimpers and yelps. 7 held tight onto him, glaring at 1 as he left the room, talking complaints to himself as 8 followed behind. The twins and 6 remained in a small corner, staring at 2 and 7 trying to calm 5 down.

"5, everything's okay ..." 7 assured him in a hushed voice, "You're alright, everything's alright."

5 looked at his legs, remembering the pain he felt in his right leg. All thoughts following that memory made him curl into a tighter ball, whimpering. "The bombs ... the explosions ... the air-raids ... the machines ... they're all out there... they'll kill us ... they'll kill us all". He shook his head vigorously, digging his fingers deep into his fabric that made up the skin of his head. "They'll kill us ..."

"5, it's okay." 7 said, hugging his shoulder, trying to keep him from rocking, "They're all gone now, we're safe."

"But they'll _come back_!!" 5 yelled, finally releasing his huddled form and hugging the warrior's arms, "They'll come back again and _again_, they always come back! They'll come back and ... and ..."

5 saw 7 turn to 2, whispering something to him. 2 nodded and went away, and 5 averted his gaze back to 7, who smiled to the frightened man warmly. "But they're not here now, are they?" She said, 5 giving no answer but a small whimper. "Why not cherish the peace there is now?"

5 dug his face in the crook of 7's neck, hugging his companion's form with both of his arms tightly. He felt 7's fingers travel up behind his head, followed by soft 'shushes' escaping gently through 7's teeth. "It's alright." 7 said, using her other arm to hug her friend closer, "It's quiet now. It's safe ..."

"It'll come back ..." 5 whimpered softly, "It'll all come back ..."

7 sighed. 5 felt her chest rise as his auditory functions picked up soft cooing from the warrior, followed by something he didn't expect ...

Singing ...

"_Through Ice and through fire ... a wilderness of stone .._." She began her melody, letting the mechanic rest against her shoulder, "_With dreams and desires, I have come alone ..._"

5 finally lifted his face from 7's neck, looking at her peaceful form as she sang on, her fingers gently stroking the back of his head.

"_Seeking the answers only you could know ..._"

"_Show me the wisdom of the world ..._" 5 sang, his voice shaky from fear, his grip on the warrior's shoulders loosening.

7 smiled, hugging his friend tighter and closer to her form "_Tell me the secrets of the heart ..._" she sang soothingly, resting her chin on the mechanic's shoulder, "_And the sweet mysteries of love_"

"Love ..." 5 repeated, saying it gracefully like it was a prayer.

The two continued on singing on into the night, until 5 once more found himself sleeping, only this time dreaming of the sweet lullabies that 7 would sing to him. He had a dreamless sleep, the dark void in his mind filled with the music that 7 sang to him long after he slept.

"_Show me the wisdom of the world .._."

* * *

AN: I had a really hard time ending this one, I really didn't know how.

Also, a little fun fact, I had a hard time choosing titles for this fic: It was either between "A sweet Lullaby" or "Wisdom of the World". I thought the latter would be more fun, since it itself is a Mother reference XD

By the way, I don't own the song 'Wisdom of the world'. That belongs to its rightful owner (Whoever that is)

Mother FTW!


End file.
